When asked about the success of his own business, Jorge Quintero, the president and owner of QCM Technologies, a local information technology (IT) business, said, “When it comes to being successful, I believe it’s all about relationships. Whether we’re dealing with retail, manufacturing, transportation or any other kind of business, our clients should expect more than just a simple purchase.” Quintero doesn’t just sell servers and soft ware; he builds lasting relationships with clients.
“That’s why we place so much value on relationship,” he adds. “If we focus only on the next transaction, we won’t be in business for very long. We want to grow with our customers and help them make smart IT investments that will pay dividends for many years into the future. It’s not simply about selling them the cheapest solution or the next hot item on the market. It’s about knowing what’s right for the customer.”
A Legacy of Relationship Building
An Arizona native, Quintero has spent his entire career in the IT industry. “I grew up in Tucson and started working for Radio Shack on the computer side of the business right aft er high school. Aft er a few years, I received a computer information systems degree from Arizona State University and then went to work for IBM,” Quintero says.
“During my time in the IBM training program as a systems engineer, I saw how the overall relationship was so much more valuable to the customer than any individual piece of technology that we might sell them. In some cases, I had my own office at the client’s location. We were truly working with and for the client. I’ve tried to foster that same notion here at QCM.”
Part of the equation in building effective relationships at QCM is being an open-minded visionary with an eye for a larger goal. “Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to observe many effective leaders,” states Quintero. “Each of them demonstrated a unique style. Some were loud, some more gregarious than others, some were very reflective and deeply intellectual, but the one characteristic that they all shared was a vision in which they saw themselves more as resources than as task masters.” He now strives to give his employees the support and resources to be successful.
To get QCM started, Quintero actually bought the business where he was working as the vice president of sales in 2001. “The previous owners were in Europe, and it wasn’t making much sense for them to be running a technology reseller in Phoenix,” Quintero says. “My vision was to make this company a solutions-based IT resource for businesses. We want effective information technology to be an important part of each customer’s overall operation – no matter what line of business they are in.”
Quintero attributes much of the company’s success to the extensive experience and technical expertise of the QCM management team and staff . “We have more than 300 years of combined IT experience on staff . In order to tap into that experience, I strive to provide our employees with the training, support and resources that will enable them to be successful. Additionally, I hope to help them to see how their own success is directly related to the success of the overall organization.”
The Value of Relationships and Service in the Community
As a business leader, Quintero continually builds his company brand and builds relationships by giving back to the community. In addition to participating on community boards, such as St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board, Quintero also works with ASU and acts as a mentor for students and young professionals.
As a mentor for students from Arizona State’s W.P. Carey School of Business, Quintero strives to help them understand the importance of finding their passion. “You have to love what you do,” he explains. “We all know that work can be hard. But if you are passionate about what you do, it can also be a lot of fun to come in to the office every day. I believe that you should always try to have the support of the people who are most important to you, and always surround yourself with great people.”
Quintero believes in the value of a mentoring relationship. “Everyone here can tell you stories about individuals who have helped them out during their careers,” he states. “I certainly have had some wonderful mentors both during my time in school and throughout my professional career. I doubt that we would have been able to launch this business 12 years ago without the assistance of a number of individuals in the local business community.
“One of the most important mentors in my IBM career was Walter Thompson,” Quintero explains. “Walter helped me to understand the importance of furthering my education, and he encouraged me to enter the executive program at Thunderbird. Now, the best way for me to repay what Walter and others have done for me is to encourage and assist other young professionals.”
Quintero also aligns himself with Circle the City, Arizona’s first medical respite center that provides care for homeless individuals in the greater Phoenix area. “Sister Adele O’Sullivan is a physician and the founder of the center, which is located near St. Joseph’s Hospital,” Quintero explains. “For many years, she has provided healthcare for homeless people in our community. At the new facility, she and her staff try to get people back to a healthy state and integrated back into the community.”
Away from work, Quintero is focused on family. “My wife and I have a young son, so we’re very involved with sports and school activities at St. Theresa’s Catholic School, where my son is a student,” Quintero said. “And, of course, I enjoy playing a round of golf whenever I can.”
Setting the Company Apart
All successful CEOs seek to set their companies in their own space, while creating value that is unique to what their clients will experience. Quintero has done just that. “I certainly cannot speak for how our competitors run their businesses. However, what I can tell you is that our business model drives us to focus on longterm relationships and on the long-term needs of our clients.”
The streamlined size of QCM puts an even greater emphasis on Quintero’s ability to effectively lead, encourage and inspire his team. “We’re a hardworking, entrepreneurial group. Since we are a relatively small organization, everyone has a personal stake in the success of our business,” Quintero notes. “We all have to be focused on that success every single day. At the same time, we make sure that we manage to have some fun during the day.”
A Leader with Vision
A company is as strong as its leader, and a leader of a successful company must have a vision for the many important facets of the organization. “Many individuals and organizations are not successful because they have no clear vision of success,” Quintero states. “Consequently, in many cases, members of the organization conclude that success is simply defined by the bottom line. At our company, we are certainly concerned with turning a profit; however, our vision of success as an organization is also tied to how well we are meeting the needs of our customers and how well we support our strategic partners.”
Quintero believes that the true value of his company can be most easily seen in the successful professionals who comprise his team. “Nothing has been more professionally fulfilling than owning my own business and working with this group of talented individuals,” says Quintero. “I love working with our people to figure out how we’ll meet the next challenge or go aft er the next opportunity. It’s just fun to come to work every day!”
